New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-22
BAYARD AND THE FISHERIES
THE sEcRErARY's TROUBLES THIcKEN.
,NsrsrENr POLICY OF THE ADMINISTRATIONS
TALK WITH Mr.. HIT.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrDuNE.l

WASHINGTON, April p. Troubles thicken sboue
Secretary Bayard on account OF the fishery contro'
yersy At this late day he driven to say that ne mas
been uusble to make the British Government compre-
bend the position of the United States in regard to
that matter In substance hs implies that he has never
laid down moi accepted basis of negotiation the
abrogated articles of the Treaty OF washington Al
the same time Mr. Bayard and LIS friends dwell ON tho
Importance OF British Columbia coal TO California ana
the other PaciRc Coast States and Territories and
hints that the supply might be cut on oy an ENFORCE
ment of the Retaliation act ~
As to the first proposition-that OF negotiation Mr.
Bayard of course has not forgotten that the senate
without the consent OF which negotiation wouid DO
tutIe has formally declared against 1t. The semi
ofc;a Abatement Of Mr.. Bayard respecting the dis
match from London shows that he has steadily ad-
bered TO his determination to settle the fishery conten-
ton by an international agreement despite the hostile
attitude OF Congress toward such settlen emit 1t 10
not surprising that this statement came most reiuc
family Although Lord Salisburys dispatch had been
in the State Department for more than fortnight the
existence of it was denied in diplomatic phrase by the
officials of that department. It's contents are sucn
"a the dispatch from London indicates, it Ii not
arrange that Mr. Bayard should desire to have them
suppressed As to the hint about the coal supply OF
California and the trade between Chicago and Can
oda In the first place, nobody can have forgo ten
that the friends of the Administration In the House
insisted on the socaed Belmont bill because the sen-
alto bill did not 60 lar enough They wanted non
intercourse not only to Canadian products out 70
all goods landed in Canada for shipment into or
through the United States They complained that the
Senate aid not offer to cothe the Executive with sui
Gent authority. Chairman Belmont speaking Tor the
state Department tried to express that liea, ana Mr.
did EXPRESS it, TIE friends of the Sen tte bill on the
co itrary said This controversy Is wholly en- ac-
count OF the fisheries. Ii we are to retaiiate our rea
lions should be in the first place responsive tnat
shod prove Intellectual the President clothed with
authority by the Senate bill to exclude all Canadian
products" These views prevailed WIN only one n.y.
.:,,t nd M
President signed the bill and 1t was law before
and since that ume, however, the asser ton has Deen
frequently made and denied, that the Aomne-
traton did not inteud the power conferred by
the act 1t was to be used simply make-weight IN
certain diplomatic neGosa'SnS nsn anu admssop.
Thai this assertion true, and that II forced Dy pup
lie sentiment 10 invoke the authority OF the ketaa-
ton it to be done " such manner az 70 make
the legislation unnecessarily OPT ressve TO American
interests and odious 10 the people 10 aLge part o,
the United States. As Mr. HIT put 1t ~hen ne waa
| discussing the bill in the House:
| We are asked to cut OF our own nose in order TO
| spite our own face. . -, ,c.. e.,.- go.
se to enter her ports the United States will exclude
Canadian vessels not to be the proposition OF
| Mr. Bsyard. Unless he Is again misunderstood ne
proposes to shut out Canadian coal I'D retaiaoh io
unIst treatment of American fishermen In one state
ncnt published to-day which scene to have been IN.
spired by the State Department it intlmated 'nat
reciprocal agreement" may be the outcome OF tDe
| nresrnt negotiations. Many American statesmen ne,
sides Mr. Bayard have studied that subject long ano
| u
teal difficulties which environ it. One OF them Is Nr
| Hit of Illinois, nber OF the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs. In tue course OF conversation Win
| n TRIBuN T. correspondent to-day MI NIT SAID
aFor severa, years 1 have thought that the only
wav 10 reach permanent and satisfactory settlement
OF our troubles with Canada would be 10 sweep away
every commercial barrier. Partial arrangements and
halfway measures must tai hereafter as they have IN
thu past The reason is that the natural commerciai
relations between am the several provinces Of
the Dominion itself. The FISHERY question mas oeen
tour times settled, statesmen supposed ana uoN ~
is open again. Our trading relations have oeen con
stanty discussed. The treaty OF 1854 at rst popular
was soon found to be onesided and the United S,aes
breathed treer when it was terminated we nau v s
| so lar outwitted that had given Canada Tree
market tor S229 O00, 900 OF her products, whhe she
case us a market for scarcely halt as mrcn. our
manufs ctures were excluded from Oanau, gu nv,
agricultural products came in tree to compete WIN o
farmers To such partial arrangement the Reopie Of
the United States never again Will consent fropsoiy
they might accept commercial union with unrestrcteo
trade. common fishing rights and coast trade PRIV
aWbat should be the basis of such unioni"
| Well the tariff would have to be the same anc
internal taxation the in the United States and
Canada or there would be infinite fraud and DISTURB
ance of trade Receipts from revenue migut fairy DC
divided between the two countries according 10 popu
lation. The rate OF revenue now collected py our
Government from cusoms ara internal revenue u.
| about 8.OO7 per inhabtant, that in Canada acou.
| 800 In q commercial union, WITT common tarin
and the border tree probably Larger part oil the I'M.
OF Canada than at MOULD en aes he
cepts at Canadian ports would oil course coftesponu
iney fall of This would have to be adjusted by pass
Al these details could soon be fairly settled if the
matter we're earnestly undertaken"
" How could such union be established
1t could be done by Congress and Congress alone:
MANY of our people distrust reciprocity treaties ana
object to the chan ling OF revenue laws Dy diplomacy;
We could at any time withdraw from comherciai
| union if it worked unfairly"
| aWould not the British Government veto any at
tempt OF CaLada to enter such q union -
WILL il is not certain that the British Government
has the power control the question: or is IN post
ton stu6bornly to oppose such n measure Sir Alex
ander Gait said in 1880 aud at other times that Can
ada had the hole pow over duties. The Marquis oil
Lorne Governor General, said la 1882 to the Can
adieu Parliament, you have the power TO make treat
but no added : and your High Commissioner is asso
GATED TOR purposes of negotiation with the Foreign
Office In tact, Canada has sgislated as she pleased
touching the tariff upon English as we'll as other
Goods The limit OF the power would to exclude
Canada from making any treaty affecting the Domin
ion portion of the British Empire JInsng ny
the pas, and by the facility with which England has
consented to each step In Canadian independence,
not likely that the Imperial Government would in
aeAby II sist genera desire OF .ne th ,ha miS
States
would Canada herself be willing to enter such a
Undoubtedly the proposition would meet the oppo.
sition OF certain mana' turing interests which would
dread the rivalry OF cheaper American goods IN thet
line OF production OF all the official class, who woud
of struggle hard to preserve everything as u Is
and OF all those more Immediately under English IN
nuence whose first thought would be that such
measure would tend to exclude English goods by the
tariff while admitting the American tree OF duty, and
they would, no doubt, very sincerely regard 1t aa
| almost equivalent to annexation. But among the
Canadian people generally the discussion OF the prop
ostion would strengthen it with the great majority;
Tue powerful mercantile class in every town and
VILLAGE ould be the first to favor it, aud the farmers
would soon understand it. Perhaps "A vague appre:
hension of annexation would be felt but With general
discussion of the and its business aspects TINS
would disappear. they would soon realize that our
citizens are longer eager to incorporate Few peo
ples The immense vacant region Of good lands IN
the Northwest would be welcome, bat 1t would be
long before we will consent to incorporate peoples
In one sense there would DO business annexation OF
each nation by the other but it would % IN bar
mpny of interests, growth and development az both
flat would lead both To a eatness, ndependence and